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J. E. SMITH. ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR SETTING CLOCKS SYNGHRONOUSLY. No. 309,000. Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

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- 4 SheetsSheet 2. J. E."SMITH. ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR SETTING CLOCKS SYNGHRONOUSLY. No. 309,000. Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

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ELBUTRIG APPARATUS FOR SETTING GLOGKS SY NGHRONOU$LY. I No. 309.000. Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

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J. E. SMITH. ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR SETTING CLOCKS SYNGHRONOUSLY.

No. 309,000. Patented Dec. 9,, 1884.

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UNITED STATES JOHN E. SMITH, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.,

PATENT OFFICE. j

ASSIGNOR TO THE GOLD AND STOCK TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

.iiPECIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,000, dated December 9,1884.

Application filed March 25), 1883. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. SMITH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Setting Clocks Synchronously by Electricity, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the correction of clocks and the setting of a number of them synchronously by electricity.

The invention consists in combining clocks, clock-setting devices, electro-niagnets for operating the latter, and polarized shuntswith main-line circuits primarily and ordinarily used for various purposes, as for operating telegraphs, electric lighting, &c., so that dur ing the ordinary use of such circuits the clocks and their setting devices and the electro-inag nets for operating the same will be shunted; but when it is desired to correct or set the clocks a reversed current over theline or lines will shunt the electrical devices in ordinary use and let the magnets for operating the clock-setting devices ,into circuit and set the clocks in unison with standard time.

The invention also consists in combining, by means of polarized pole-changers, two or more main-line circuit-s having clock-setting magnets, polarized shunts, such as are herein-above mentioned, and various other electrical apparatus therein, in such manner that at certain times the clocks in the entire system of circuits may be simultaneously set to correct time by a current at a central station being reversed either by the hand of a person or by a standard time-piece.

The invention further consists in certain details of construction, hereinafter described and claimed, and represented in the accompanying drawings.

This invention applies to all electric circuits having but one main battery, and on which the usual currents are of one polarity.

For the correction of clocks on circuits where reversed currents actuate the other electrical devices therein, I have devised other means, which form the subject of another application for patent filed at the same date herewith.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a clock-dial with one form of the device which I employ for setting the hands, and the electro-magnet for operating the said device. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a setting device slightly differing in detail from that shown in Fig. 1, and the electro-magnet for operating the same. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the application of the setting device and the polarized shunt for operating the same to a clock in a line of Morse telegraplrinstruments. Fig. 4. is a view of one of the pole changers which I employ. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the application of the setting device to clocks in each ofa number of mainline circuits employed for various usesas, for instance, a Morse telegraph, a district telegraph, and a system of electric la1npsand showing the application of the polarized pole-changers to connect the several circuits for operating the clocksetting devices in each by a current at a central station.

In Fig. 1, a is the dial of a clock, I), the hourhand, and c the minute-hand. Four flat pieces of suitable materialbrass, for instanced c f g, form a clip for setting the minute-hand of the clock to correct time. These four pieces are fastened together, so as to form loosejoints, by pivots or pins h t j Pin 7b is fastened to some convenient part of the inside of the clock, and supports the clip near the back of the dial behind Fig. 12, for example-though of course it may occupy any other position, if desired. At the other end of the clip-piecesfg are pins Zm, extending forward through a curved slot, n, in the dial, said pins while at the ends of the slot being about four minute-marks apart.

Pin '5 projects back and enters a hole in the armature-lever 0 of the electromagnetp. Said lever is supported by an arbor, q, in any well known manner, and is drawn from magnet 19, as usual, by a spring, '1'. \Vhen no current passes through magnet 11, the devices just described will be in the position shown in plain lines, and the pins Z on, being at or near the ends of the slot at, will allow the minute-hand to pass close by them. If the clock is not more than, say, a minute and a half slow or fast at the time it is to be corrected, a current sent through magnet 1) will close the clip, as shown by dotted lines, and the pins Z at will press the minute-hand backward or forward, as the case may require, and set the clock to true time.

As pieces 11 0 form what is known as a toggle-joint, and this joint is most powerful in its action when magnet p has its least power on lever 0, and the power of the magnet on said leverinereases as the leverage of the tog,

gle-joint diminishes, the power of the magnet in its action on the minute-hand is nearly uniform during the entire motion of lever 0. This device will therefore work with a weaker current than others having no compensating device.

In Fig. 2, showing another way of carrying out the idea of compensation, s is an electromagnet; 1, its armature-lever, pivoted at a, and drawn from the magnet by a spring, :r. In this case the clip is formed of two kneeshaped pieces, to .r, with their knees lapping on each other, andloosel y pivoted together at y. The lever '6, near one of its ends, has apin,

1:, which rests between the upper ends of pieces to \Vhen magnet s attracts its armature,

pin crowds the upper end of the clip apart and closes the lower end, thus causing pins to I) to set the minute-hand, as already described. When magnet s is discharged, a spring, 0, opens the lower end of the clip. It will be seen that as the armature approaches the magnet and the attraction between them increases pin z also approaches fulcrum y in consequence of which its power to close the lower end of the clip diminishes. This gain of power in one respect and loss in another renders the action of the magnet on the n'iinutc-hand uniform, or nearly so.

Although I have shown and described the equalizing device as applied only to the min lite-hand, it is evident that it might in like manner and with like eti'eet be made to act 011 an equivalent attachment to'some part of the works behind the dial.

Fig. 3 shows my invention as applied to a line of Morse telegraph-instruments. In such line d are situated the synchronizinganagnet of clock a, the Morse key 0, magnet f of re lay or main-line sounder, and electro magnets g h. Between said magnets is a lever, j, to which is fastened a polarized armature, i. By the combined attraction and repulsion of magnets of h lever j makes electrical contact with screws or pins 7t" Z, according to the direction of the current over line (2. Said magnets, armature, lever, and screws form a polarized shunt, and the parts named may be mounted on a suitable base in a manner entirely similar to the Morse relay. Such shunt in itself forms no part of my invention.

I can use any form of polarized relay which is arranged to open one circuit and close another circuit by areversal of current through its electro magnet or magnets. A wire, m, conncctsleverj withline d, between the Morse instruments c f and the clock a. lVire a connects screw 7 with line (1 on the other side of ments.

strumcnts is formed by wires in 0. When the shunt-magnets 1 it are properly placed in Oil" cuit d, the currents used for operating Morse magnet f will hold lever j against screw 7;, and thereby shunt clock a. lVhen the time arrives for correcting the clock, the battery on line (1 is reversed fora moment either by hand or a standard clock. Such reversal of current will, through a reversal of polarity in the magnets 1/ 7/, cause lever j to break shuntcircuit m a, let clock a into circuit, and correct it, as already described. At the same time the current will be diverted from the Morse instruments by the closing of sh unt-circuit m 0 by lever j making contact with screw Z. Another reversal of current over line (1 will, by a reverse movement ofleverj, put the Morse instrun'ients into working con dition again and shunt the clock.

I have two objects in thus shunting the Morse instruments when the clock is corrected: first, to eliminate the resistance of the relay or sounder, and thereby render the current more effective in its action on the clock-magnet; second, to prevent the Morse key from interrupting the reversed current that synchronizes the clock. If the line should be in use when the time arrives for the correction of the ti mepieces, by reversing the current a couple of seconds before the exact time and holding it reversed for two seconds the first closing of the circuit by any Morse key 011 the line which may happen to bein use at the time would instantly cause all the shunts to cut out their respective keys, and prevent them from interfering with the setting of the clocks.

lnordertosimultaneously synchronize clocks on several circuits that are used for the same or for a variety of purposes, I place any dcsircd number of clocks and polarized shunts in each circuit, and connect each set of such devices, as shown in Fig. 3. One of these cireuits enters the central station, or that from which standard time is to be sent, and to this circuit, at any convenient point, each of the other several circuits is connected by a polarized pole-changer. These pole-changers, like polarized shunts, may vary in form.

Fig. l shows one form, in which 1/ g are electro-magnets with their poles facing each other. These magnets are placed in the same circuit. Between their poles is a polarized armature, '1", supported by a lever, s. From one side of said armature exten ds a flat spring, 1,, which vibrates between and makes and breaks electrical contact with screws or pins a r. On the other side of this armature, but insulated from it, is another SPlillg, w, which vibrates between and makes and breaks electrical contact with screws r x. Tt hen in use, lever s is connected by a wire, 9, with one pole of a battery, or other electric generator,) .0, whose current is to be reversed, and the other pole of the same is connected with insulated spring to by a flexible conductor, a.

It will 110w be evident that the vibration 01.

said armature and springs by currents of al- IIO ternately-opposite polarity through magnets p will reverse the current of battery over circuit 1) b. The different parts of such a pole-changer maybe mounted on a suitable base in a manner entirely similar to the h'lorse relay.

As I make no claim to such a pole-changer, and such method of mounting being well understood, I do not show or describe it.

Diagram Fig. 5 shows a system containing three circuits in accordance with the second part of my invention. In this diagram each of the circuits (1 b I) is a main-line circuit, (though I have considered it unnecessary to show more than one set of devices in each.) each battery d z z is a-main battery, and the portions A B B C I) E are all di lt'erent stations or ofiices.

The portion of the diagram marked A represents a pole-changer, 0', connecting an electric generator, cl, with circuit (1 at the central stat-ion, from which a system of clocks is to be controlled and corrected. Polechanger 0 may be of any form, and operated either by hand or by the standard clock at such station.

The portions of Fig. 5 indicated by 1% B represent polarized pole-changers precisely like that shown in Fig. 4, and already described. The portion indicated by 'C is in every way like Fig. 3. The portions indicated by I) and E are, with a single exception, like Fig. 3 and O in Fig. 5. In the portion 0 are Morse instruments. In the portion 1*] the letter indicates an electric lamp. In the portion I) the letter f may be understood as indicating either of various instruments. It may be a police, dial, or printing telegraph, call-bell, lire-alarm gong;district-telegraph instrument, or any conceivable electrical apparatus (except an electric generator) operated by electricity of one polarity.

It will be seen that the magnets p .1 ol' the polarized polechangers at B I3 are situated in Morse circuit d,while their armatures, springs, and batteries connected therewith form part of their respective circuits b 1/. Both circuits Z) I) being insulated from each other and from circuit cl, these pole-chaugcrs also perform the otlice ot relays, and may therefore be styled polarized pole-changing relays.

When the several lines and batteries described are connected with due reference to the polarity of the polechangers and shunts, the operation of such a system of circuits will be as follows: -\Vhi1e the several circuits are in use for ordinary purposes, battery (Wisconnected with circuit (1, so that the clock in O is shunted, and the Morse instruments are in circuit and can be operated. The current in circuit d also causes the pole-changers at B Bto connect the batteries 2 z to their re speetive lines I) b, so as to cause the shunts in those circuits to keep their respective clocks shunted, and allow the other electrical apparatus connected therewith to be in cirin the explanation ot' l ig. When the momentior synchronizing the clocks arrives, pole-changer c is moved so as to reverse current from battery (1 over line d. Such reversal ot current causes the shunt in G to cut out the Morse instruments, let the clock into circuit, and set it to correct time, as already described. A tthe same time the pole-changers at I will reverse the current over their respective lines, and through the action of the shunts therein let into circuit and synclr renize the various clocks and shunt the other apparatus precisely as in circuit (1. On placing pole-changer 0 back to its original position the operation of all the polarized polechangers and shunts is reversed, the various apparatus in ordinary use are again let into. circuit, and the clocks remain shunted until the arrival of the time for another correct-ion of them. By this system the ordinary use of thelines is interrupted for an instant at the moment the clocks are cor1ccted;but timepieces that are it for use will not need to be corrected more than three or four times in the course of twenty-four hours, so that by a judicious selection of the times for syuchronizing the clocks the interruption of the regular business of the lines will be inappreciable.

As polarized shunts and polarized polechangers require very little power to operate them, their magnets may be of very low resistance.

It is obvious that a number of clocks may be placed and operated in any such circuit as I have described or referred to; also, that several such systems may meet in and be operated from a central station, or a large city may be divided into several districts and each district be operated independently.

Though I have represented a Morse line as the primary or controlling circuit, (and in practice it will probal'ily be the best arrangement,) it may be made a secondary or controlled circuit, and any other circuit be the initial or controlling line; indeed, the various circuits herein, named or referred toemay inv this system be connected together indiscriminately. This system is designed for lines having but one main battery each; but it may be employed on circuits having more than one main battery, provided such batteries as are not connectedtothepole-changersbe otherwise reversed before and kept reversed during the time the clocks are set to true time. Then this system is applied to printing-telegraphs using two or more line-wires, the clocks and shunts may be placed in whichever line seems mostdesirable. I would further remark that circuit (1" may also have pole-changers connecting with other circuits where there are no Morse instruments, or it may be given up wholly to pole-changers for connecting the central station with various other circuits having clocks in them. A single shunt mav also put into and out of circuit a number (if clocks for correction, the same as if they were cuit and be used as heretofore fully described butone clock.

IIO

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with an electric circuit employed for telegraphing, electric light ing, or other uses, of a clock, a device forset ting the said clock, an electro-inagnet in said circuit for operating the said setting device, and a polarized shunt adapted to be operated by reversing the current in said circuit for t the purpose ofproducing the operating of said setting device, substantially as herein del scribed. i

2. The combination, with an electric circuit and apparatus for telegraphing, electric l lighting, or other uses, of a polarized shunt, i a clock, a device for setting the said clock, i and an electroanagnet for operating the said setting device, said electro-magnet, the shunt magnet or magnets, and said apparatus being situated directly in the said electric circuit, and the armature-lever of said shunt being in a shunt-circuit, which branches from the said electric circuit at a point between said electroanagnet and said apparatus, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with the primary circuit, the secondary circuit or circuits, and the polariz'cd pole-changers for connecting them, as described, of magnets for operating clocksetting devices and polarized shunts for controlling the passage of the currents through said magnets both in the primary circuit and in the secondary circuit or circuits, substantially as herein described.

JOHX .ll. SMITH. Witnesses:

IIIGNRY T. 311mm, FREDK. IiAYNES. 

